The path to becoming a prodigy of a 13-year-old Vietnamese boy

The boy Do Nhat Nam, dignified in a suit and speaking standard English, opened his speech talking about smiles with a small test: "How many times do you smile each day?"...

Do Nhat Nam, a 13-year-old Vietnamese boy, represented Asia at the recent "Science of Smile" conference in the US as a speaker.

There was a burst of applause as the boy began his speech by speaking fluent English: "Yes, we children laugh every day. We laugh when the dog licks our face. We giggle when we receive an unexpected gift. Sometimes, laughter can come from something as simple as winning a video game or hearing the rain pattering on the porch. All of these emotions can create laughter..."

Do Nhat Nam was a speaker at the TDExKID Education Science Conference, with a talk on "Smile". Photo: TEDxSMU.

The boy went on to explain how the brain produces smiles, then led the talk to the more important content of how to smile more every day. The boy's high and low tones, the way his voice constantly changes, made the talk more engaging: "Once upon a time, there was a boy in a faraway place who had a dream called 'America'. To him, this land was a place of wonder and fascination, a world of opportunities, a vast horizon waiting to be explored. With the help of his friends and family, just over a month ago his dream came true... (see full paper).

To conclude, Nam hopes that everyone should smile at least 5 times a day. Don't hesitate to give a smile to a new friend, to the security guard, laugh out loud when you come home from school and hug your parents tightly...

Video clip Do Nhat Nam talks about smiles in America

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The moment they witnessed their son confidently on stage, on the other side of the world, Phan Ho Diep and Do Xuan Thao could not hold back their tears. Diep shared: "What Nam has done is not much, but it is an effort to mark his first steps in a foreign land. There, his parents are not there to encourage and guide him."

And that same night, Nam's father wrote a long letter to his son. "The day you gave your speech was Halloween. If I could participate in that festival, I would probably dress up with angel wings. Regardless of everyone laughing at me like a crazy old man, I would do it anyway. Because of one simple thing, when I have angel wings, I will fly to you to hug you tightly with all my strength. To kiss you, more delicious than kissing a lover's cheek. And to look at you, as long as a breath. To make up for the longing, the days of waiting, the restlessness...

At the age of 13, Do Nhat Nam has achieved many successes. He was twice awarded the Vietnamese record for being the youngest translator and the youngest autobiographer. Nam won high prizes in English and debate competitions, and has stood on the stage of international conferences many times...

Ms. Phan Thi Ho Diep and Mr. Do Xuan Thao are both lecturers at Pedagogical University I. They believe in giving up the "power" of parents to become close friends with their children. Photo: NVCC.

Having a talented child is the wish of many parents. For Ms. Diep and Mr. Thao, they do not have any secret to raising Nhat Nam. Since the child was still in the arms, the couple agreed to teach Nam with gentleness and subtlety. They call it the "soft rope binds tightly" style. When the mother is hot-tempered, the father must be moderate and vice versa. The couple avoids harsh words to each other as well as between parents and child.

The mother commented that Nam was a gentle and obedient boy, but not everything was easy. When he was a child, whenever he went to anyone's house, Nam would rush to his toys and chatter. It would be okay for Vietnamese people to see children being so innocent, but in Japan it would be a bit rude. Ms. Diep thought and used pictures to teach her child. Before each picture, she asked: "What did the baby say, what did he do, was he good? If it were you, what would you do?"... Nam was very interested and knew how to comment on how to become a polite baby.

Realizing that educating their children through stories like this is very useful, Diep and her husband often use stories, even stories that the parents themselves wrote to suit the topics they teach Nam. Through that, they teach Nam rules of behavior such as at the dinner table, going to class, sleeping positions, how to arrange furniture... This way of learning while playing lasted throughout Nam's childhood. The boy learned easily and happily while still understanding the message his parents wanted to convey.

They also apply games to teaching their children, from learning English to understanding life. For example, to teach Nam about objects that can be dangerous, she let him play the "electric shock" game. "I simulate objects such as sockets, electric irons, and water bottles and make a convention about which objects are 'gentle' and which are 'fierce'. If you touch a 'fierce' object, you will be 'shocked', which means you lose," she said. While playing, she explained to her child why the object is "fierce". Therefore, when there are no adults around, the parents are completely assured that Nam knows to stay away from dangerous objects.

"People often think that to teach children well, they must use a whip and be strict. I don't dare to say whether it's right or wrong, but I always want to give my child a peaceful childhood, filled with laughter and imbued with parental love," she confided. For many years, both husband and wife often gave poems to Nam (Nam also gave poems back to his parents), sometimes to put on the bedside table, sometimes in his school bag. They gave up their "power" as parents to become close friends with their child.

When Nam was young, his parents also trained him to think critically. This helped Nam express his opinions in everything while still ensuring cultural standards of communication. For example, his parents wanted him to stop watching movies, but if he gave them 3 convincing reasons, they would allow him to continue watching. In 3rd grade, Nam gave funny reasons, and by 5th grade, he knew how to analyze the content of the movie to convince his mother.

Now 13 years old, Nam's political views have surpassed those of his parents. Nam is currently an 8th grader at Saint Paul School (USA), having left his parents and family home to study abroad. He spends most of his time studying. Besides, he is also making urgent preparations for publishing the first issue of an Asian teen magazine, with Nam as editor-in-chief. He is very excited about this new job.

Achievements of boy Do Nhat Nam:

- Achieved perfect scores in Cambridge University exams: Starter, Movers, Flyers (15/15) (first grade year).

- TOEIC score 940/990 (2nd grade).

- TOEFLT ITP score 617 (grade 2).

- TOEFL IBT score of 107 (4th grade).

- IELTS score 8.0 with perfect reading score: 9.0 (grade 5).

- Won numerous awards at domestic and international English and public speaking competitions.

- Translated books: Sunrise, Sunset; Recharge; I Think, I Succeed; Live in Class. Written books: How I Learned English; The Singing Letters; My Parents Made Me Fall in Love.

- Twice recorded in the Vietnam Book of Records: Youngest Translator and Youngest Autobiographer.

According to VnExpress